Yesterday, after a scenic ride through the Japanese countryside, I arrived at Kyoto, Japan's former capital and the heart of all things Genji. I was met by two professors from Ritsumeikan, a prestigious university here in Kyoto. We had a wonderful kaiseki dinner at a Japanese restaurant, and then walked the streets of Gion at night. I didn't think it would be possible, but we saw Maiko-san (Geisha) three different times, coming out of or going into taxis.
Today I am going to Arashiyama to visit the Nonomiya shrine, a site that shows up in the novel a few times. There I will also see the famous "Bamboo Groves," and if I have time, I'll go to the shrine of endless red gates, Toriinomon. Then we are going to Ishiyama-dera, where many believe that Murasaki Shikibu wrote Genji over 1,000 years ago, looking out over Lake Biwa.
